X-Chromosome Gene Linked to Increased Autism Diagnosis in Males
New research suggests that variants in the MECP2 gene on the X chromosome might help partly explain why autism is diagnosed about four times more often in males than it is in females. The post X-Chromosome Gene Linked to Increased Autism Diagnosis in Males appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News .
Researchers from Baylor College of Medicine and the Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital have identified a new gene on the X chromosome that may explain why autism is four times more prevalent in males than females. The study, published in The American Journal of Human Genetics, focused on the gene called MECP2, which is located on the X chromosome and is known to be linked to neurodevelopmental conditions like autism.
The researchers used induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived neurons to investigate the gene's regulatory regions and found that small changes in these regions, specifically in female patients, can lead to autism-like behaviors. These findings suggest that variations in the regulatory regions of MECP2 can cause male-biased autism and may contribute to the "missing heritability" of autism.
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